brooks



(Nd Model.)

B. J. BROOKS; SNAP SEAL.

' No. 524,974. Patented Aug. 21, 1894.

ing is a specification.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARDJ. BROOKS, OF EAST ORANGE, JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO THE E. J. BROOKS &COMBANY, OF NEW YORK,N. Y.

SEAL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 524,974, dated August21, 1894. Application filed April 27, 1894.: SerialNo. 509.270.(Homodel-l .To all whom it may concern: Be it known that I, EDWARD J.BROOKS, a. citizen of the United States of America, and a resident ofEast Orange, in the State of New Jersey, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Snap-Seals, ofwhich the follow- This invention relates toself-fastening seals, or snap-seals as they are now termed, adapted foruse as substitutes for lead-and wire seals and other press-fastenedsealing devices to secure railway car-doors and the like, as set forthin my previous specifications, forming part of United States LettersPatent No. 303,417,dated August 12,1884; No. 304,258, dated-August 26,1884; No.3l2,963,

.dated February 24, 1885; N 0. 314,994, dated April 7, 1885; No.340,932, dated April 27, 1886; No. 345,764, dated July 2O, 1886; No.348,509,dated August 31, 1886, and No. 353,246, dated November 23, 1886.

The improved snap-seal in a preferred form having a hollow sheet-metalseal-part, "is adapted to be made very light, and of a large variety ofshapes, and to be provided with any required distinguishing marks orletter-. ing with the utmost facility.

The present invention consists in an open coil of wire within asnap-seal to coact with its snap or snaps, as a guard fagainst tamperingtherewith and as an anti-rattling device, and in the combination with aseamed sealpart of a snap-shackle having such a coil formed on one ofits ends,as hereinafter set forth and claimed.

A sheet of drawings accompanies this specification as part thereof.

Figures 1, 2 and 3 of these drawings show respectively the several partsof an improved snap-seal as preliminarily formed by means of dies; Fig.1 being an elevation of the shackle. wire, Fig. 2 sectional and faceviews of one piece of the seal-part, and Fig. 3 end and sectional viewsof its other piece. Fig. 4 shows in elevation the shackle wire threadedthrough one seal-part piece and provided with a coil on its threadedend. Fig. 5 shows the improved seal as finished at the factory, with theseal-part in longitudinal section. Fig. 6 is a like sectional view ofthe fastened seal. Fig. 7 is a small-scale elevation of the improvedsealillustrated by Figs. to ti 1110111.

sive, as in use. Fig. 8 is a sectional elevation of a modified seal,fastened. Fig. 9 shows end and sectional views of a modified seal-partfor use as in Fig. 8. Fig. 10 shows end and sectional views of a likeseal-part of another shape. Fig. 11 is a perspective view of asheet-metal shackle, and Fig. 12 is an end view of an improved seal-partadapted to coact with the latter.

Like letters and numbers refer to corresponding parts in allthe'figures.

The flexible metallic shackle A of each of the improved seals isprovided at one or each end witha long spring hook or snap 1, formed onthe shacklebysuitable bends. .The shackle may be of round or square wirein the forms represented in Figs. 1 and 4 to 8, or of suitablesheet-metal in the form represented by Fig. 11, and in this form mayconveniently be provided with double snaps 1 projecting in oppositedirections at each end, as shown.

The hollow seal-part B of each seal is composed of two pieces, markedrespectively 2 and 3, permanently united at the factory by a securejoint; and in said preferred style, to which the drawings are confined,its pieces being of sheet-metal are interlocked with each other byacircumferential sheet-metal seam? 4, and it. is provided with therequired distinguishing marks or lettering 5, and a hole 6 matching eachsnap, in the pieces 2 and 3 as preliminarily formed by machinery.

The seal-part Bis in all cases preferably attached at one endof theshackle A, as in i Fig. 5, at the factory, and in this form is shippedand carried by the sealer. In applying-the seal, the shackle is passedthrough a pair of car-door staples 0, Figs. 7 and 8, or the like, andthe free end of the shackle is then fastened by springing its snap 1through the matchinghole 6. When the snap opens within the seal-part theseal is securely fastened, and cannot be unfastened without sufficientinjury to the. seal-part and shackle, either or both, to insuredetection. To remove the seal the shackle is cut.

In the species of the improved seals represented by Figs. 1 to 7inclusive, the shackle A has a snap 1 on one end only, and aspreliminarily formed its other end is straight, as

isshown in the'piece 2.

in Fig. 1; and the pieces 2 and 3 of the sealpart B are conveniently ofone and the same form and dimensions except their flanges b, Figs. 2 and3, which are subsequently interlocked to form the seam 4. The snap-hole6 It may be in either piece. The other piece is provided with athreading-hole 7 fitted to the wire of which the shackle A is composed.Said straight end of the shackle as preliminarily formed, Fig. 1, isthreaded through said hole '7 and provided with a sharp bend 8, and anopen coil 9 beyond the same, as in Fig. 4. The seal-part pieces 2 and 3are then put together, with said coil within their cavities, and theseam 4 is formed by a suitable press, which completes the seal for themarket as in Fig. 5. When the seal is fastened the snap l, sprungthrough the hole 6 as above, interlocks with one of the convolutions ofthe open coil 9, as in Fig. 6. Its withdrawal is thus prevented, and theseal is kept from rattling.

The modifications represented in Fig.8 consist in providing both endsofthe shackle A with snaps 1, which coact with an open coil 9 distinctfrom the shackle within the seal-part B; uniting the seal-part pieces '2and 3 by a double seam 4 as compared with the single seam represented inFigs. 5 and 6; forming the lettering5 in one end of the seal partinsteadof-in its sides, and providing its other end with a pair of snap-holesfiand making this end concave to facilitate inserting the snaps, whichinterlock with the convex inner surface of the perforated end.

The modification illustrated by Fig. 9, apart from a change of shape,consists in locating the lettering 5and snap-holes 6 in one and the samepiece, 2, of a seal-part B, inclosing.

part and providing the seal-part B with snapholes 6 adapted to receivethe fiat shackle ends. Otherwise the seal-part may be of any of theforms above described, and with a shackle of fiat wire the snap-holes ofany of the seal-parts would be substantially of the shape represented at6 in Fig. 12.

A shac'kle A with a snap 1 at each end as in Fig. 8 or in Fig. 11 wouldbe used in connection with each of the modified seal-parts B representedby Figs. 9 and 10; and in the seals so formed, as well as in thoserepresented by Fig. 8 and Figs. 11 and 12, the sealpart would be'preliminarily attached to one end of the shackle, as in Fig. 5, byspringing one of the snaps'l through one of the snapholes 6. One end ofthe shackle may be preliminarily secured within the seal-part, as inFig. 5, by other suitable means, as by soldering it fast, withoutmaterially departing from this invention; the lettering 5 may in allcases be either cameo or intaglio as preferred; and other likemodifications will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art.

Having thus described the said improvement, I claim as my invention anddesire to patent under this specificationv 1. An improved snap-sealhaving a hollow seal-part provided with an open coil within it and withan open snap-hole, in combination with a shackle-wire preliminarilysecured within the seal-part at one end, and provided atits other endwith a self-fastening snap adapted to be sprung-through said snap-holeand to interlock with said coil, substantially as hereinbeforespecified.

2. The combination, in a snap-seahot a sealpart composed of two piecesprovided respectively with a snap-hole and a contracted threadingholeand securely interlocked with each other by a circu mferential seam, anda shackle extending through said threading-hole from an open coil withinthe'seal-part and provided at its-other end with a self-fastening snapadapted .to be sprung through said snap-hole and to interlock with saidcoil, substantially as hereinbefore specified.

EDWARD J. BROOKS. Witnesses:

J AS. L. EWIN,

GEO. M. WHITNEY.

